If you want to help save the environment while putting food on the table for your loved ones, consider a job as a solar sales representative. These sales professionals typically contact potential private customers or businesses; assess their needs; create a plan to meet those needs and ensure they get solar products that will satisfy them.

Salary

The national average salary for solar sales reps was $78,953 as of 2013, as reported by the national salary survey website Salary Expert. In five randomly selected cities including Miami, Dallas, New York, San Francisco and Houston, the average starting salary at the 10th percentile for solar sales reps was $64,270. The average top salary in these cities, typically at the 90th percentile, was $147,653. Based on these data, you can expect an increase of $83,383 throughout the life of your career as a solar sales rep.

Geographic Differences

A difference of $25,164 separated the highest paying and lowest paying of these five cities. Individual averages included Miami, $67,464; Dallas, $89,160; New York, $91,992; San Francisco, $92,028; and Houston, $92,628. States with the highest employment levels for sales engineers, including solar sales reps, included California, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois and New York as of May 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while top-paying states included Maine, Washington, Florida, Virginia and New Hampshire.

Job Outlook

An occupational information report conducted by Sullivan University predicted jobs for solar sales representatives would grow by 10 percent through 2018. Increased interest in renewable energy and competitive pricing of alternative energy sources have led to an increased demand for solar sales representatives. The Solar Energy Industries Association indicates that more than 350,000 homes used solar energy in 2009, concurrent with the opening of three new solar power plants in the U.S. These two factors led to an increase of 37 percent in the solar market.

Considerations

While a high school education is the minimum qualification for solar sales reps, those with a bachelor's degree will have an advantage in a competitive market, according to the Sullivan University job outlook report. Assertive sales representatives can boost their base salaries by earning commissions and bonuses. Because the market is still emerging in the U.S., demand will fluctuate year over year, depending on factors such as economic vitality, government grants and consumer interest.

About the Author

Brenda Scottsdale is a licensed psychologist, a six sigma master black belt and a certified aerobics instructor. She has been writing professionally for more than 15 years in scientific journals, including the "Journal of Criminal Justice and Behavior" and various websites.